After Raising Monsters, I Was Loved by Everyone in the Wasteland – CH31

Chapter 31

Upon hearing these words, the other creatures were completely stunned, forgetting their caution for a moment.

Leave? Number Twenty- Seven had to leave?

The green-scaled viper frowned. “Number One, why?”

It hadn’t seen the little fox’s internal struggle between its nature and its self-control, thinking that Xiao Hei was simply angry at the fox’s earlier challenge.

And to be honest, it had every right to be angry.

If it had been in that situation—attacked by the little fox during such a dangerous moment, almost causing a disaster—it would’ve probably beaten the mischievous fox to tears to vent its frustration.

But driving Number Twenty-Seven away? That seemed too much.

The purple squirrel was puzzled as well. “What’s going on?”

Xiao Hei glanced at them, shook its head, and signaled for them to wait and see.

Turning back, it locked eyes with the little fox. “I know you can hear me. If you don’t want to leave, then fight your way out of this.”

“You’ve already broken free once. Breaking free again won’t be harder than the first time.”

Among the group, only the canary and the blue-scaled one understood what Xiao Hei meant.

The canary instinctively looked at the little fox, feeling a tightness in its chest.

Although the viper and the purple squirrel were confused, they sensed the tension in the air and remained silent.

In the center of everyone’s gaze, the little fox’s pupils contracted.

Suddenly, its body tensed, and its back arched painfully, stiff and rigid.

At the same time, its eyes were constantly changing, emotions of sorrow, madness, fear, and resolve flashing through them as if the fox was fighting a silent, internal battle.

Finally, it trembled and collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted.

But despite being drained, the little fox raised its clear, dark eyes and begged softly.

“Number One, please don’t make me go. I’ll behave.”

By the time it reached the last word, its voice was barely a whisper, yet its black eyes remained fixed on Xiao Hei, now shimmering with unshed tears.

The scene was eerily similar to the one in the green-scaled viper’s nightmares, where a helpless lamb pleaded.

It almost wanted to intervene on the little fox’s behalf, but Xiao Hei moved faster.

There was no attack, no mocking.

Xiao Hei simply leaned down and gently licked the little fox’s forehead.

In the language of mutants, licking another’s forehead signified a senior’s affection for a younger one, as well as a show of approval from a stronger being to a subordinate.

By performing this act, it was clear that Number One wasn’t angry at Number Twenty-Seven.

So, why then…?

As the green-scaled viper pieced together the little fox’s strange behavior and Xiao Hei’s words, a sense of dread began to creep into its mind.

When it saw Xiao Hei pick up the little fox and walk toward the sleeping youth, this unease grew stronger, bringing with it a wave of panic.

Xiao Hei placed the little fox near Wen Xin’s hand.

The little fox had never expected to be allowed near Wen Xin again. Its wet nose twitched, and it couldn’t resist turning its head to nuzzle Wen Xin’s fingers.

As it nuzzled, the little fox began to imagine.

It imagined those fingers moving again, gently stroking its head.

It imagined Wen Xin lowering his head, his smiling eyes bright like the stars, his voice soft and kind as he said, “Good little Xiao Qi.”

The little fox closed its eyes, feeling a lump in its throat as if it had swallowed a fishbone, so painful that it wanted to cry.

…This was something that used to happen so often, yet now it felt like a sweet, distant dream.

Out of nowhere, Xiao Hei asked, “Do you ever feel like biting him to death?”

The little fox’s eyes snapped open!

Xiao Hei’s calm tone was like a cold iron spike, shattering the sweet dream it had been indulging in. The fox hurriedly turned around. “I would never—”

“Then do you think you might bite Number Ninety-Nine to death?”

The little fox froze.

It turned its head, meeting the canary’s gaze. Both instantly recalled that near-catastrophic moment.

The canary’s eyes darkened, and it averted its gaze.

The little fox hastily tried to explain. “Jiujiu, I didn’t mean to hurt you! I wasn’t trying to—”

Xiao Hei pressed a paw down on the little fox’s head. “You didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but you couldn’t control yourself.”

“I controlled myself!”

The little fox’s response was almost frantic.

“Look at me now—I’m in control!”

Xiao Hei stared into its eyes. “And what about next time?”

“If what happened today happens again, it could lead to a disaster.”

“Can you be sure you’ll always have complete control?”

The little fox fell silent.

Xiao Hei turned to address the group, focusing on the green-scaled viper and the purple squirrel, who hadn’t been present during the earlier incident.

“Number Twenty-Seven lost itself while evolving into its complete form. It nearly killed Number Ninety-Nine. So, I suspect that after becoming a fully evolved mutant, we might be influenced by the negative emotions in our genes.”

“Not just Number Twenty-Seven—any of us could lose control and start attacking everyone around us.”

The green-scaled viper felt its heart nearly stop.

Its premonition had come true.

Xiao Hei glanced at the little fox again. At some point, its head had lowered.

If you brushed aside the thick fur on its cheeks, you’d see that the little fox’s face had gone completely pale.

Under Xiao Hei’s gaze, it wished it could shrink into itself like a turtle, hiding everything it didn’t want to hear under its shell.

But it couldn’t.

Xiao Hei spoke again. “That’s why you need to leave, Xiao Qi.”

“I…I have nowhere to go.” The little fox choked back a sob. “I don’t know where I can go.”

“Please don’t make me leave. I can stay far away—I promise I won’t disturb or hurt anyone.”

The more the little fox spoke, the more it wanted to cry. The tears it had barely managed to stop began to fall again.

It knew its words offered no real assurance.

If it truly lost itself, its nature would drive it to follow the scent and hunt everyone down, attacking them.

Unless it went somewhere so far away that it could never see them again.

And that would mean never feeling Wen Xin’s hand petting its head again, never being pulled close by the canary’s warmth when it was cold.

No more being lifted by the tip of the green-scaled viper’s tail for a playful swing, or having the purple squirrel glare at it for causing trouble.

It would never again see the blue-scaled one lazily floating in the water basin on the balcony, playfully splashing its belly.

It would never again watch Xiao Hei perched on top of the cabinet, standing guard like a stone protector of their home.

…

The little fox’s mind wandered.

If its future meant being alone in an empty room, curled up with nothing but its own tail, just like back at the base…

…Then why not just kill it now?

Hearing the little fox’s desperate pleas, the other creatures couldn’t help but feel moved.

But they all knew that while Xiao Hei usually seemed reasonable, it would never compromise when it came to Wen Xin’s safety.

But what about the little fox? Was it really going to be sent away?

And if being affected by their genetic nature was a part of every mutant’s evolution, would the rest of them eventually…?

The group remained silent, but their minds were turbulent.

To their surprise, in the midst of this tense atmosphere, Xiao Hei’s tone softened when speaking to the little fox.

It lowered its head and calmly asked, “Who said I was going to make you leave forever?”

The little fox blinked.

It felt as though a miracle had just dropped from the sky, leaving it so happy it was dizzy.

But as soon as its tail brushed against Wen Xin’s arm, the fox’s body trembled, snapping it back to cold reality.

It asked hesitantly, “You’re not making me leave? But I could hurt everyone.”

“That’s why you need to leave for now, but only until you’re sure you won’t hurt anyone. Then you can come back.”

This shocked everyone.

Not just the little fox—the rest of the group hadn’t even considered the idea of leaving and then returning.

Xiao Hei continued, “Our genes are unstable, which is why we suffer from genetic imbalances. Evolving into our complete form is the only way for our genes to fully merge with our bodies, which I’m sure you all understand.”

The group nodded.

Becoming fully evolved would rid them of genetic imbalances, a fact not revealed to them by the researchers.

Those people would rather have kept them shackled to the base with their experiments than share information that could lead to freedom.

The mutants had discovered this truth on their own.

It was an innate understanding, a biological instinct embedded in them from birth—just like how cats hunt mice and dogs eat meat.

The group had kept this secret to themselves.

The researchers, who had believed they were in control, had been proven wrong when the mutants made their escape, catching them off guard with a brutal surprise.

The mutants couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction imagining the researchers’ faces upon realizing they had been outwitted.

But what Xiao Hei said next was something none of them had known.

Xiao Hei explained, “Evolving frees us from our limitations, but it’s never easy. Xiao Qi losing control is part of the challenge we face when our genes are merging.”

“As long as we hold onto our sense of self and evolve while staying conscious, we won’t fall prey to the bloodthirsty desires in our nature. That’s the only way to become truly powerful.”

The little fox couldn’t help but get excited. “Is that really true?”

Xiao Hei nodded calmly.

Could it really be that simple?

The rest of the group had their doubts.

The canary instinctively touched its throat.

Mutants healed quickly, so the wound on its neck had already scabbed over, but it couldn’t forget how vicious the little fox had been when it lost control. Its voice was hoarse as it asked, “Number One, how do you know all this?”

Yes, if this was instinctual knowledge, why did Xiao Hei know it while they didn’t?

Xiao Hei shot them a glance and responded lightly.

“Because none of you are as strong as I am.”

At that, the creatures’ expressions twitched. The green-scaled viper, in particular, felt the urge to strike.

But none of them could argue.

Because it was true—Number One was undoubtedly the strongest.

Xiao Hei then reassured them further.

“It’s not just Number Twenty-Seven. In no more than two weeks, I’ll be evolving into my complete form as well.”

There was a small pause after that sentence.

The pause lasted for only a fraction of a second, so brief that no one noticed.

“You all should be close to evolving as well.”

It scanned their faces, noting the subtle expressions, before adding, “Don’t worry. Go ahead and leave—I’ll stay behind and make sure Wen Xin reaches the human survival base safely.”

In the end, the little fox agreed to Xiao Hei’s suggestion and decided to leave.

There were unspoken words between them, but the little fox understood.

—If it couldn’t resist the influence of its nature, then it would undoubtedly become a disaster for everyone.

So the little fox left this time, planning to find a desolate place to seal itself away.

That way, when it returned, it would still be the little fox everyone knew.

The little fox that never intentionally did anything wrong—a pure, innocent little fox.

*

Before leaving, the little fox gazed at Wen Xin’s sleeping face, then opened its mouth and tugged out a small tuft of fur from its chest, placing it in Wen Xin’s outstretched hand.

Then it tore a small piece of fabric from Wen Xin’s sleeve, clenching it tightly in its mouth.

With that scrap of fabric, the scared little fox felt grounded, and a little less anxious.

It wanted to take more with it, so it looked around.

Xiao Hei was too intimidating. The green-scaled viper was too fierce to approach. The purple squirrel and the blue-scaled one were still unfamiliar.

That only left…

The little fox hopped off the bed, creeping toward the silent canary.

Timidly, it whimpered, “Yip?”

Jiujiu, can I have one of your feathers?

The canary touched its throat without answering.

Seeing the scab on its neck, the little fox’s eyes dimmed. “Yip…”

Alright, I’ll go then…

“Yip yip.”

Take care of yourself. If someone bullies you, run away, okay?

With that, the little fox, carrying the scrap of cloth in its mouth, walked toward the door, looking back every few steps.

Just as it neared the entrance, hurried footsteps sounded behind it.

Before the little fox could turn around in delight, the canary grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.

Quick as lightning, the canary plucked out a large tuft of fur from the little fox’s chest.

The canary was so rough, pulling the fur out like plucking a chicken, that the little fox nearly cried.

Clutching the tuft of fur in its hand, the canary stared into the fox’s teary eyes for a long moment before rolling up its sleeve.

Beneath the fabric was a row of golden-brown feathers.

Compared to when they first appeared, these feathers had matured, their yellow hue deepening to a rich, golden shade, both vibrant and luxurious.

This was the canary’s first sign of its raptor traits, holding great personal significance.

Even though other parts of its body had begun to display similar traits, the canary had always cherished these particular feathers, never allowing anyone to touch them.

Now, expressionless, the canary reached for one of those feathers, pulling it out with a precise motion.

“If you lose it, don’t expect me to give you another.”

The little fox nodded eagerly.

And so, with Wen Xin’s torn sleeve and the canary’s feather, the little fox set out.

Standing at the edge of the village road, it wagged its fluffy tail, gazing back in the direction of the others for a long time.

Then, the small fox turned, leaped into the night, and disappeared into the moonlit distance.

The canary stood at the door, watching until the little fox vanished from sight, before slowly withdrawing its gaze.

As soon as it stepped back inside, it heard Xiao Hei ask the green-scaled viper, “Is your evolution time two days from now?”

The green-scaled viper, having reverted to its cat form, visibly stiffened.

After a moment, it replied, somewhat uncertainly, “Yeah, so what?”

The viper scoffed. “Do you think I’m that little fox? It lost control because it was too soft. I’m nothing like that.”

Xiao Hei’s tone remained calm. “What makes you different?”

The viper lifted its chin. “I’m an S-class. I barely survived countless experiments to reach S-class! Doesn’t that prove I’m stronger than it is?”

“Yes, you’re stronger than Number Twenty-Seven.”

But before the viper could feel proud, Xiao Hei added, “So when you lose control, the destruction will be even greater.”

“…”

The green-scaled viper wanted to scoff in defiance.

But it couldn’t find the words.

After a few seconds of silence, the viper’s voice became hoarse. “Can’t you stop me?”

Xiao Hei shook its head without hesitation.

To slow down its own evolution, it had injected too much venom from the green-scaled viper, into its own body, leaving it in a weakened state.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so lethargic, nor would it have taken so long to notice the little fox’s problems.

If the time came, it might not be able to control the rampaging viper.

Seeing Xiao Hei’s certainty, the green-scaled viper’s expression tightened into a stiff line.

In the past, hearing the strongest Number One admit that it couldn’t stop it would have made the viper laugh in triumph.

…So why didn’t it feel like laughing now?

Even after Xiao Hei left, the green-scaled viper remained rooted in place.

It raised its head slightly, gazing silently in the direction of Wen Xin’s bed, standing motionless for the entire night.

*

Wen Xin woke the next morning.

Soft sunlight filtered through the old wooden window, casting a small, fan-shaped shadow across his long eyelashes.

His face scrunched slightly, and his eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, revealing a pair of sleepy eyes.

Before he could fully take in his surroundings, his left hand brushed against something soft.

When he brought it closer, he saw it was a small tuft of pink fur.

Pink… Xiao Qi?

What happened to Xiao Qi?

Wen Xin hurriedly sat up, his right hand encountering a cold, hard object.

This time, it was a piece of green scale.

Before Wen Xin could make sense of it, a soft meow sounded beside him.

Turning to look, he saw the green-scaled one sitting obediently on the pillow.

Seeing Wen Xin awake, it raised its tail, rubbing against his arm.

“Meow~”

You sleepyhead, you’re finally awake~

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